Lorenzo Perosi was both a priest and a composer, enriching Italian music with a large body of transcendent choral music that was admired by Puccini. Much less well known is his chamber music, written during a creative outpouring after serious illness between 1928 and 1931. The piano quintets are marked by rich melodic ideas and a buoyancy of mood. The String Trio no.1 in G minor is admirably concise and the accompanying six string trios reflect a strong command of counterpoint. Perosi’s piano quartets and String Trio no.2 are available on Naxos 8574375.

This recording follows Perosi’s Piano Quintets nos. 1 and 2 and String Trio no.2 (8574375): ‘The playing is ebullient and committed, and sometimes really sparkles… There is much that is dramatic and cinematic about this music’ (Gramophone).

Pianist Matteo Bevilacqua’s recordings have been reviewed in prestigious publications such as Gramophone magazine, and have been featured on the Italian national radio station Rai Radio 3. One of his latest projects has involved a recital where the pianist has worn an EEG neuronal headset, capturing their brain activity and transforming it into real-time visual art. In this same month Bevilacqua will make his Grand Piano label debut, with the piano music of another Italian composer, Luciano Berio (GP903).